UN: Israel “systematically hindering” access to Gaza, healthcare system in the region severely “obliterated”

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Monday that Israeli officials have blocked more than 150 humanitarian missions from entering Northern Gaza since October.

According to reports, Israeli authorities blocked access to the area on three out of four attempts made between Friday and Sunday.

On Sunday, several international organizations, including the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme, the Palestine Red Crescent Society, and the UN Department for Safety and Security, coordinated the delivery of essential medical and hygiene supplies, as well as food and water, to critically ill patients, their caregivers, and healthcare staff who were transported from Kamal Adwan to the currently non-operational Indonesian Hospital in North Gaza.

Kamal Adwan Hospital has ceased operations after an Israeli airstrike on Friday led to the evacuation of patients and staff, as well as the detention of the hospital’s director.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) characterized Sunday’s operation as “exceptional,” but highlighted that the limited number of initially approved missions have encountered significant obstacles.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has stressed the importance of providing immediate, unrestricted access for aid workers to assist those in dire need, stating that relief should not depend on the lifting of blockades.

A report cautioned that “systematic hindrances continue to obstruct humanitarian access throughout the Gaza Strip.”

Over the last three days, more than 60 percent of the 42 United Nations-coordinated operations in Gaza have faced denials, interference, or obstructions, as reported by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

In a press release issued on Monday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) cautioned that continuous Israeli assaults on hospitals have severely debilitated the healthcare infrastructure in Northern Gaza.

“The raids are placing civilians at an alarmingly high risk of being deprived of essential, life-saving medical care,” the statement noted.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has reported that the Kamal Adwan and Indonesian hospitals in Northern Gaza have been rendered “completely inoperable.”

According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), medical facilities have faced significant challenges in delivering care to patients for several months. This difficulty arises due to persistent hostilities that have resulted in damage to hospitals and pose threats or have caused harm to staff, patients, and civilians.

Al-Awda Hospital is under increasing strain as one of the limited operational medical centers in Northern Gaza, the report further stated.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has issued a warning that the surge in patients, coupled with the arrival of caregivers and displaced individuals seeking shelter, has created a situation where it is unlikely that all medical needs will be fully met. Medical staff find themselves unable to adequately address these pressing demands.

“The escalating crisis compounds over a year of inadequate medical equipment, fuel, food supplies, and specialized healthcare resources, the statement noted.”

Since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza in October, resulting in the deaths of over 45,500 Palestinians, Israel has been conducting operations that include strikes on medical facilities throughout the coastal region. These actions have been justified by Israeli officials as efforts to dismantle alleged “Hamas command centers.”

The Israeli government has repeatedly been unable to provide evidence to support these allegations, which have been dismissed as unsubstantiated.